KW ERA RANGER INTERVIEW

[BEAST]

Tomorrow (Veteran's Day), I am going up to visit my Uncle. In 1950, he graduated from the first Ranger school course held at Ft. Benning. I know that he served as a jump master and an airborne instructor. He was not sent to Korea, but instead was assigned to Germany. I believe he was with the 6th Ranger Company, but am not positive.

 

I am putting together my list of questions, and thought I would throw it out to the forum for your thoughts. I was going to ask him primarily about the training that he received at Ranger school and the what they did in Germany. I have asked him to dig out his photographs, so hopefully he will do that for me.

 

Any thoughts on equipment, uniforms or insignia?

[Bob Hudson]

Check out this thread: http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...showtopic=11872

 

And this website: http://www.ricarangers.org/

 

And that site has a 6th Ranger Co. roster: http://www.ricarangers.org/rosters/06th.htm

[BEAST]

Check out this thread: http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...showtopic=11872

 

And this website: http://www.ricarangers.org/

 

And that site has a 6th Ranger Co. roster: http://www.ricarangers.org/rosters/06th.htm

 

 

Thanks F.S. I hadn't thought about the origins of the beret. My uncle isn't listed on the RICA site, but before we declare him a BS artist, I did see his name listed on those who graduated in the first ranger course. When I was blackbirding down at Benning, I worked for a short period with the Inf School Historian. He had a book on his shelves that listed those who graduated. Since his name is not on the RICA site, I am making an assumption that he was with 6th Ranger Company. Hopefully I will get more info from him tomorrow.

[Bob Hudson]

Thanks F.S. I hadn't thought about the origins of the beret. My uncle isn't listed on the RICA site, but before we declare him a BS artist, I did see his name listed on those who graduated in the first ranger course. When I was blackbirding down at Benning, I worked for a short period with the Inf School Historian. He had a book on his shelves that listed those who graduated. Since his name is not on the RICA site, I am making an assumption that he was with 6th Ranger Company. Hopefully I will get more info from him tomorrow.

 

 

Based on my own experience I'm not sure those rosters are complete. Did you check the ones for other companies?

[tredhed2]

The 6th Ranger Infantry Co (Abn) served in Germany, assigned to 1st ID.

 

The companies lasted only from Jan 51- Aug 51, when they were disbanded.

 

Your uncle probably wore the 1st ID patch and perhaps the generic "AIRBORNE RANGER INF CO" scroll. Ths one is German made. Also, he may instead have worn the new black and gold RANGER tab over the blue and white AIRBORNE tab (these were authorized; the scrolls were not)

 

Please go to one of the below link and read my article; it should give you an idea of what questions to ask about his training.

 

http://www.insigne.org/KW-Ranger-I.htm